ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Nestled discreetly at the back of the Twin Oaks shopping center on Highway 59 lies Vitolli’s, Robertsdale’s latest culinary phenomena. Vitolli’s is the brainchild of Mark Nicholson and his wife, Mindy.

Started as an original concept, Vitolli’s is in a league of its own. Whether there for the daily specials at lunch, or enjoying the traditional Italian cuisine for dinner, the restaurant is quickly becoming a local favorite. The restaurant shows a level of flexibility not often found in newer area establishments, as it caters not just to families, but to adults trying to have a good time at a modest price.

With competitive pricing and large portions, including their 28” pizzas, the food is an excellent value for the family night out. On the other hand, their rich pasta dishes and scintillating original recipes can please even the most discerning adult palate, especially when paired with one of their fine red or white wines. There is also an expanding selection of premium imported beers, including Peroni, a traditional Italian brew that perfectly complements many of Vitolli’s most popular dishes. Their original alfredo and marinara sauces are extraordinary and add subtle flavor changes to even the most commonly served items on the menu.

A well-kept and festively decorated establishment, guests are at once immersed in the ambience of soft decorative lighting and warm painted hues as they enjoy their meals. For those partial to al fresco dining, outdoor seating is readily available should the opportunity present itself.

The indoor dining area has a character all to its own. Salvaged and refinished items are used wherever possible, and add a very nostalgic touch to the establishment.

“Most of the equipment and furniture here was salvaged after the hurricane. Those chairs over there are from the old State Park,” Nicholson said, pointing to a refinished chair to his right. “I sanded and painted them myself. These tables over here came from the Original Oyster House on the Causeway when it washed away.”

With a name like Vitolli’s, one can’t help but wonder where the name came from. When asked about the name, Mark nodded towards Mindy with an appreciative grin.

“It all started because my husband liked classic Volkswagens,” Mindy said. “Mark was 15 when he got his ‘66 VW. So we wanted to name our restaurant VDub’s, and serve pizzas with names like The Love Bug and The Groovy Bus,” she said with a reminiscent aire. “Well, we contacted Volkswagen of America and they said we couldn’t use it because it’s trademarked. So we scratched that idea completely. Besides that, we were still years away from opening this restaurant. When we found this location and had to pick a name, we started thinking about it constantly; wanting something unique, something interesting, something that wasn’t trademarked. Nothing came to me.

“Then one day, we went to Mark’s cousin’s restaurant in Satsuma called Pintoli’s. About a week later, I was driving down County Road 32 and I passed this little white Volkswagen. The instant I passed that car, VDub and Pintolli’s popped into my head simultaneously to form Vitolli’s. It just so happened that it’s a Sicilian name, but it stuck anyway.”

The restaurant business in not an uncommon profession in Mark’s family, and he credits part of their current success to his prior experiences.

“I’ve worked with pizza since I was 16 years old working for Pizza Hut,” he said. “My family is really into Italian food. I have cousins and uncles with Italian restaurants, so I was always in the business in some way or another.”

Though times were tough in the beginning as the restaurant gained momentum, Mark spoke of it humorously.

“When we were still two or three months from opening the doors, we would go ride around to look at other area businesses at night,” he began. “There was nobody. No one was open. I always had a feeling that Robertsdale had a good lunch crowd, but at night we were seeing the businesses shut down. So we were actually very surprised when we opened at how busy it really was, even at night. I had no clue.

“It was a while before we hired anyone because we were expecting business to pick up slowly. So, at first, it was my wife and I and my dad or mom working constantly. Even on opening day, with the three of us working together we had orders stacking up on us. It took about three weeks before we could hire anybody, so we had to do it all ourselves. Needless to say, we got through it.”

Through it, to say the very least. This inspirational couple has put their best foot forward to serve the City of Robertsdale and have pulled their family business up by the bootstraps to become one of our area’s greatest new restaurants. Endowing the grand spirit of American entrepreneurism, this establishment has become an excellent addition to the city’s expanding commerce and an even better addition to it’s ever-expanding taste for fine cuisine.